Non-binding caster



June 5, 1956 J. ARMOUR 2,748,418

NON-BINDING CASTER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 1, 1955 FIG: 5 FIG 7-HCPI". 3

35 INVENTOR. Jo/m Armaur,

PM (PM ATTORNEYS.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 1, 1955 INVENTOR. J0/7/7 Arman",

Paul 4- PM ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent 2,748,418 NON- BINDING CASTER John Armour, DelrayBeach, Fla.

Application March 1, 1955, Serial No. 491,259

9 Claims. (Cl. 16-18) This invention relates to a non-binding caster.

It is well known that conventional casters, when used in textile millsand in other places where fibers and yarns are found on floors and thelike, that the fibers or yarns tend to be wrapped around the axles ofcasters which are rolled along the floors. For example, carts or otherconveyances which are used in textile mills and supported on castershave been frequently rendered inoperative as a result of binding orlocking caused by the wrapping of free fiber or yarn around the axles bythe turning of the caster wheels.

Many factories have encountered a similar problem and have attemptedwithout success to provide a caster that does not bind when exposed tofibers or yarns. in the manner heretofore indicated. Various shields orguards have been designed for application to casters, but those shieldsor guards have been relatively expensive and some have proved eithercumbersome or at least partially ineffective.

It is accordingly an object of this invention to provide an efiicientand inexpensive non-binding caster. Another object of this invention isto provide a simple means which may be associated with a wheel whichrevolves around an axle, which means prevents yarns and threads fromwrapping around the axle and binding the wheel against rotation. Otherobjects and advantages of this invention, including the simplicity andeconomy of the same, will further become apparent hereinafter and in thedrawings whereof:

Fig. 1 represents a view in perspective illustrating one specific formof non-binding caster constructed in accordance with this invention;

Fig. 2 represents a vertical sectional View through the caster, taken asindicated by the lines and arrows II--II which appear in Fig. 1;

Figs. 3 and 4 represent sectional views taken as indicated by the linesand arrows III-III and IV-IV respectively which appear in Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 represents a view in side elevation of a rotatable cutter memberof the non-binding caster illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 represents a view similar to Fig. 5, of the stationary cuttermember illustrated in Fig. 1;

Figs. 7 and 8 are views similar to Figs. 5 and 6 showing modified formsof rotatable and stationary cutter members, respectively; and

Fig. 9 represents a view in perspective, partially broken away, showinga preferred form of the invention.

Turning now to the specific form of the invention illustrated in Figs.1-6 of the drawings, the number 10 designates a movable body member suchas a wagon, cart or the like which is supported on a yoke member 11 bymeans of a conventional vertical pivot which includes a correspondingbearing member 12. Extending transversely through the arms of the yoke11 is an axle 13 which supports a plurality of roller bearings 14supporting a wheel 15. The construction and arrangement just 2,748,418Patented June 5, 1956 described is quite conventional and may representany one of a variety of standard casters presently available.

In accordance with this invention, cutter means are providedintermediate the yoke 11 and the wheel 15. As illustrated in Figs. 1-6of the drawings, the cutter means includes a rotatable cutter disc 16having on its outer peripheral edge a plurality of teeth 17. Therotatable cutter disc 16 is secured by pins 20 to an outer bearing race18, which is fixed to the wheel 15, whereby the disc 16 rotates aboutthe axle 13 along with the wheel 15.

Outwardly of and immediately adjacent to the rotatable cutter disc 16 isa stationary cutter disc 21 which has around its outer periphery aplurality of teeth 22. A spring clip 23 which is afiixed by a pin 24 toa yoke 11, resiliently bears against the stationary cutter disc 21 whichhas a key 25 extending into a keyway 26 formed in the axle 13.

A spring member 27 is disposed around the axle 13 intermediate the yoke11 and the stationary cutter disc 21, urging cutter disc 21 againstcutter disc 16 and urging both discs toward the wheel 15.

It will accordingly be appreciated that, when the wheel 15 is rolledalong a supporting surface S in the presence of a fiber F, and the fiberF attains a position where it would tend to wrap around the axle 13, thefiber is severed by the relatively rotating cutter members 16, 21 andthe fiber is accordingly prevented from wrapping around the axle 13. Itwill be appreciated that any given fiber may be severed once or anynumber of times by the relatively revolving cutter members, eliminatingany possibility that the fiber might wrap around the axle 13.

It will further be appreciated that means are provided for urging thecutter members tilghtly against the caster Wheel 15 and for continuouslymaintaining the cutters under pressure against the wheel 15, therebypreventing the entry of fibers between the wheel and the adjacent cutterand between the cutters themselves. It will further be apparent that theouter stationary cutter serves as a guard for the inner rotatable cutterand may be sealed to the axle 13 to prevent the entry of fibers betweenthe cutter and the axle.

Figs. 7 and 8 show cutters which are revolved relative to one another inthe manner heretofore shown and described. The cutter discs of Figs. 7and 8 have cutter members 30, 31 of substantially rectangular form asdistinguished from the substantially triangular cutter teeth 17, 22illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6.

Fig. 9 shows a preferred form of the invention. The inner cutter 40 isvulcanized or otherwise afiixed to the wheel and has an open centralportion to permit removal of the roller bearings 14. The outer cutter 41is maintained against the inner cutter 40 by a spring clip 42 which isseated in a groove 43. Outer cutter 41 is keyed or otherwise afiixed tothe shaft 13 as heretofore described or in any desired manner.

It will be appreciated that various forms of relatively rotatable cuttermeans may be substituted for the specific forms shown in the drawings,without departing from the scope of this invention. It will further beunderstood that other structural means may be resorted to for insuringtheir relative rotation. For example, the drawings show the innermostcutter as rotatable and the outermost cutter as stationary. Thisarrangement may be reversed or means may be provided for merely rotatingthe cutters at different speeds or in opposite directions. All suchmodifications are within the spirit and scope of this invention.

It will further be appreciated that, by providing a spring clip 23 whichexerts a suflicient resilient force upon the outer cutter member, it isnot always necessary to provide an additional spring member 27.Similarly, any other resilient means may be substituted for eitherspring member-- 23or 27, orboth, provided an operative means is suppliedfor insuring the relative rotation of the cutter members and their snugengagement with the sideso f the from the spirit and scope of-thisinvention as defined in' the appended claims.

Having thus described myinventiomI claim:

1. A non-binding caster comprising a yoke, a shaft extending throughsaid yoke, a wheel-car1-ied on said shaft within said yoke, andcuttermeans intermediate the yoke and wheel,- said cutter means including apair of adjacent,

rubbing cutter discs which are smaller than the diameter of the wheeland movable relative to one another when said wheel-is rotated.

2. The caster defined in claim 1, wherein the cutter discs include aninner cutter dtsc which is fixed for rota tion with the wheel and anouter cutter disc which is fixed against-rotation relative to said yoke.

3. The caster defined in claim 2-, wherein spring means extendintermediate said yoke and said outer cutter urging said outer cuttertoward said inner cutter.

4. The caster defined in claim 3, wherein the spring meansis a resilientclip fixed to the inside of the-yoke arid adjacent theshaft. V

5; In a non-binding; caster, the combination comprising a support, anaxle supported by the supportand fixed against rotation thereon, a wheelrotatable on said; axle relative to said support, acutter disc adjacentsaid wheel and secured for rotation with said-wheel, another cutter discparallel to and immediately adjacent the fir st mentioned cutter disc,andfinrubbing contact therewith, and

means securing said other cutter, disc against rotation relative to saidaxle, said cutter discs having at their peripheral edges a pairofnlatching rows of 'adjacent, coacting cutter teeth, and both saidcutter discsbeing of substantially less diameter than the outsidediameter of said wheel.

6. A non-binding caster comprising spaced supports, a shaft extendingbetween said supports, said shaft being non-rotatably connectedtoatleast one of said supports, a wheel mounted for rotation onsaidshaft, a plurality of bearings intermediate the wheel and shaft, anouter bearing race fixed tosaid wheel, cuttermeans-adjacent the wheeland fixed tosaidrace for rotation about said shaft with said race, andanother cutter means adjacent the first mentioned cutter meansandkeyedtothe shaft.

7. The non-binding caster defined in claim 6, wherein spring means areprovided between the support and said other cutter means urging saidother cutter means against said first mentioned cutter means, andurgingboth said cutter means against the wheel i 8. A-non-bindingpcaster comprising a support, a shaft supported bysaidsupport, a wheel carried on said shaft, a rotatable cutter discvulcanized tosaid wheel, a statienary cutter disc fixed relative tosaidisha ft, and means maintaining said cutter discsin rubbing contact.with one another so that said disc have a cooperative cutting actionwhen said wheel is revolved about said shaft.

9. The caster defined in claim 8, wherein bearings a eprovidedintermediate said wheel and said shaft, and said rotatablecutter disc has an open central pottionofa size to permit access to saidbearings.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED. STATES PATENTSv337,174 Love I Mar. 2, 1885 1,991,305 Willits Feb. 1 2,"19'35' 2,496,327Beck F, n, 7, 1950 2,666,570 Howard Ian 19 19 54

